Between 1864 - 1892 30 Ships were wrecked or stranded off Timaru coastline.
6 x Barques, 6x Brigantines, 4x Iron Ships, 3x Ketches, 6x Schooners, 2x Steamers, 2x Brigs and 1 x Steamship.

22 Ships Wrecked, 8 were refloated. 100 Lives were saved by Timaru, Volunteer Rocket Brigade, and 43 Lives saved by Alexandra Lifeboat Crews. 15 People died.

The harbourmaster kept a lookout during storms. They could give ship crews instructions by hoisting flags, and fire a signal gun to call for crews to race to the rescue. Safety and effiency of handling cargo and passengers had to be improved. So the locals funded their own harbour. It was only one of two independantly owned ports in the country. The Port provided huge opportunity to Timaru and South Canterbury. It also impacted the way sediment moved up the coast. From 1880s sand built out from these Caroline Bay cliffs and created a new sandy Caroline Bay.

The Ben Venue (left) and City of Perth (right) ships in Caroline Bay. The Ben Venue was wrecked at Caroline Bay in May 1882. The city of Perth collided with the wreckage and also ran aground but was eventually refloated carrying over 5000 sacks of milling wheat from newly broken in farms of the area. Photographer J Dickie Courtesy South Canterbury Museum 2014/056.01

In the 1880s ships were powered by sail.  If the sea was rough, but there was little wind, it was hard for ships to sail away from the coast to safety.

On top of this, Timaru had no harbour, and ships had to use row boats to move cargo and passengers.

But, if the ships were anchored too far out to sea to it impacted the efficiency.

In the 1860s, Morris Corey and Robert Boubius (Boatmen from Deal) drowned while attempting a sea rescue.

In 1864, the Alexandra lifeboat arrived in Timaru to assist when heavy surf made it too dangerous for regular boats.

In 1867, the Volunteer Timaru Rocket Brigade was established with the arrival of rockets from England. In 1868, control of the beach was passed to the Timaru Gladstone Board of Works to undertake harbor works. In 1869, Duncan Cameron, a member of the lifeboat crew, drowned when the boat capsized.

Captain Alexander Mills served as the harbor master, lighthouse keeper, and pilot in Timaru from 1866 to 1882. During his tenure, there were 28 shipwrecks, and he frequently clashed with the Harbour Board over mooring decisions.

The harbourmaster kept a lookout during storms. They could give ship crews instructions by hoisting flags, and fire a signal gun to call for crews to race to the rescue.

 Section from a photograph taken by the Burton Brothers circa 1882; of the "Ben Venue" stranded. In the distance you can see the Caroline Bay coastline before the sand started to accumulate. Te Papa (C.025205)

Timaru Volunteer Rocket Brigade. Photographer William Ferrier c1882. South Canterbury Museum 0844

How the Illustrated London News saw rowing lifeboats in action. heartheboatsing.com/for-those-in-peril-on-the-sea/

A lifeboat crew rowing to rescue shipwrecked sailors. published 1893-02-11 The New Zealand Graphic and Ladies Journal, 11 February 1893, p.121 - New Zealand Graphic; Wright, Henry Charles Seppings, 1849-1937 -  Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections NZG-18930211-0121-01

The South Canterbury Museum has an exhibit that includes the Benvenue Bell and medals, the rocket brigade lifesaving launch and the canon that summoned the rocket brigade. Photograpy courtesy of Roselyn Fauth. 

The large painting (about four feet in length) of the wreck of 'City of Perth' and 'Ben Venue' at Timaru hung for many years in the Farmers tearooms and now the painting is at the Port Company Offices, Timaru at Marine Parade. The plate below the painting read : The Wreck of the Ben Venue and City of Perth 14 th May 1882. Presented to The Port of Timaru Ltd. By Arthur Bradley. Last surviving son of Issac Bradley a member of the rescue crafts crew. Located at Prime Port - Photo by Roselyn Fauth.

Anchor that has been gifted to CPlay to incorporate.